Blow Wind, Blow
by Habit
Summary: There is a new Crow in AMC and she's a hellcat of the highest degree. Intelligent, methodical, with a dash of sadism, it is up to her to stop the criminals targeting the shinobi of the hidden villages. How will she do that and keep her identity a secret?


**A/N: The long awaited Temari story for the AMC Arc! Enjoy! [I will admit that I was in a strange, kind of hyped up on pain meds mood when I wrote this, so be gentle-lol- I like it though] I DO NOT OWN NARUTO!**

* * *

Weary green eyes stared out the window, watching Tenten wheel Neji away. She'd known that the two Black Ops would most likely approach the ex-member, but she had confidence in Tenten and knew she'd protect the man. Besides, as far as she was concerned, he had amnesia…irreversible amnesia. There was a knock at her door and she called the person in. "Enter." She turned and found one person she'd almost rather kill than look at these days. Uchiha Sasuke stood before her, his eyes narrowed on her lithe form, dressed in her AMC Commander's outfit. Her hat and cloak hung on the wall close to him.

"Have you thought anymore about what I said, Sakura?" She arched a brow at him and scoffed.

"No. And I will not think of it at all. I am not some brood mare to help you sire more cold hearted bastards like yourself. I'm not some blushing schoolgirl that you can woo so easily. You lost your chance with me when you said you didn't love me and left me on that bench to join Orochimaru." She turned away from him as he huffed and glared at her.

"I already told you why I had to do that, Sakura! He would have taken me by force and quite possibly killed everyone I cared about…Naruto, Kakashi…especially you!" Sakura whirled on his then, her eyes blazing.

"Don't you dare try to say that you were only protecting us! I know what it was really about! You were so jealous of Naruto that you couldn't even see straight!" her eyes blazing, she advanced on him. She noticed him stiffen, but it didn't evoke the smile it usually did when she intimidated him.

"Sakura, if you'd just listen to me-" he was cut off when a light knock came to the door and then it opened lightly.

"You wanted to see me, Sakura-sama?" came a light voice from behind the door. Sakura glared at Sasuke, who crossed his arms over his chest, refusing to leave. Sakura growled menacingly, but suddenly a smirk came to her face.

"Weasel, I want you to find Tanuki and send him to me. I have a pest that needs to be taken care of." Sakura saw the blatant fear in Sasuke's eyes at the mention of the AMC's Field Commander. He'd flip a wig if he ever found out that Sakura herself was actually Tanuki. The door opened a little wider and Sakura noticed that Weasel was looking at Sasuke.

"Sakura-sama, Tanuki-sama would be very upset seeing that man here…again. You know Tanuki-sama thinks very little of him. Is it wise to bring him here, knowing the threat he made last time?" Sakura was rolling on the inside. This girl was more in tuned with her than she'd thought, even if she wasn't in the upper echelons of the organization. She'd have to review who was behind that mask.

She noticed Sasuke blanch and look at her. "What threat did that monster make now?" he squeaked. Sakura ignored the monster comment and just smirked.

"He said that if he ever caught you in my office again, he'd ensure that you'd never make that heir you're so hung up on." She said and gave his crotch a pointed look. She had to stifle her laugh when he covered himself and then glared. He cursed and hastily pushed past the girl in the weasel mask, fleeing from Sakura's office.

Sakura burst into laughter and shook her head. She motioned the girl to come inside and to sit down. "Weasel, remove your mask please." She noticed the girl stiffen, but did as she was told. Sakura gasped, but her smile got even bigger as she saw who was under the mask. "Ah…that explains much. Thank you Weasel. I had to make sure you were someone I could trust. I am about to introduce you to the real Tanuki. Are you prepared?" she noticed the girl's eyes widen as she nodded.

Sakura stood and made a few seals and suddenly, the room was filled with smoke. When it cleared slightly, Tanuki stood before her, his wicked mask making the girl squirm and the deep red cloak reminding her of blood. She watched closely as the figure reached up for its mask and was shifting nervously. She almost screamed when the mask was removed. "Sakura-sama? You're the real Tanuki-sama?" Sakura nodded and made the seals again, the clothes and cloak disappearing. She locked the mask in the bottom drawer of her desk.

"Weasel, I entrusted this secret to you because you are now part of the 'Inner Circle' along with Dove, Kochou, and Mouse. When they have all gathered here, I will have them reveal their true identities to you. However, you can never tell a soul of what you see. Being part of my inner circle means I trust you to keep your mouth shut. It also means you will be given a position of authority inside this organization." She noticed the girl gasp and then brighten.

"I have been watching you for several years now. I remember how you matched wits with Shikamaru during the Chuunin Exams when we were children. It's one of the main reasons I requested you from Suna, even though I knew I'd never know which mask they assigned you." Sakura noticed the girl chuckle and shake her head.

"Sakura-sama, I must say, I was extremely flattered when the message came through that you were looking for qualified individuals to strengthen the bond between the villages. I was even more flattered when my brother informed me you'd requested me by name." Sakura chuckled and nodded.

"Yes, I hadn't forgotten the things you and your siblings did for Konoha. I was hoping that with you, we would strengthen the tie between the AMC and Suna specifically." Sakura noticed the frown that crossed the girl's face but she held up her hand.

"Temari, in case you hadn't noticed, there are several branches within Konoha that would like to see this organization fail. Danzo and his supposedly dispersed ROOT are one of them. At any time, there could be a sneak attack on this headquarters. It's why all the entrances are hidden and all the exits are barred from the inside. I want to ensure that should Danzo ever declare war on us, and Konoha, that the people here are safe." The blonde nodded in understanding.

Sakura put her hands together and regarded the blonde. "You've changed your hair. No wonder I didn't recognize you. It's longer and you've started putting it in those braids. I like it. However, for this mission, you will not be going as an AMC. You will be undercover as a Suna jonin that is escorting an 'emissary'. Your target is the home base of the group we've been having problems with. I'm sure you've heard that we got information on the origin of the group that captures shinobi and tortures them for no obvious reasons." Temari nodded and looked at her hands.

"Mouse was very upset…as was Dove." She said quietly, knowing that both of the women's lovers had been captured. She then looked up at Sakura with worry. "Have you heard from Kochou? Is she alright?" Temari was rubbing her hands together anxiously. Sakura chuckled and nodded.

"She is fine. She just used a technique that tends to leave her drained. She's recovering with her lover by her side and is quite happy." Sakura noticed the older girl blush and smile happily.

"Alright…what do you need me to do for this mission, Sakura-sama?" the girl got straight to business. Sakura smiled at her. This girl was just what she needed for this mission.

"One of our ANBU is going to pose as a noble. You are going to escort him to Taki. This is where we believe that the rebels who have been capturing our comrades are from. If this is true, then it's a good possibility they are missing nin and that something horrible has happened in Taki." Temari nodded, but then looked at her commander.

"I know I'm not supposed to ask, but just who am I being paired with?" Sakura smirked and that was all Temari needed to groan and slap her hand to her forehead. "WHY HIM!" she wailed and mourned to herself. Sakura chuckled and shook her head.

"Because individually the two of you are geniuses. Combined, you'd be a nearly unstoppable force when it comes to devising ways to pick the enemy apart." Sakura then leaned forward, her face serious. "And because I am entrusting you with a mission that I was supposed to do myself." Temari gasped and stared at her. Sakura nodded. "That's right…this was a mission assigned to me, but because of the situation here, with me dealing with two distracted field agents and one that's out of action, I can't leave. I know you can do this, and I trust you to get it done without dying." Sakura smirked.

"Besides, it'll be great for you guys to catch up." Temari blushed and nodded, though she didn't really want to do this. She then looked at Sakura, curious.

"Sakura-sama…you said that you were entrusting me with the knowledge of who you were…but you never told me why…" the girl noticed the serious look that passed over Sakura's face before she closed her eyes.

"I told you that as a part of my inner circle you will be entrusted with a position of authority; did I not?" Temari nodded and stared at Sakura.

"I received word today that while on a mission, my head strategist and one of the oldest men in the village was killed. He was also the leader of my Hunter Nins." Temari paused and stared at Sakura. The girl opened her eyes sadly. "He was an amazing man with years of knowledge and experience. He has chosen not to pass down his knowledge of the way things were because times have changed too drastically. Before he left, he gave me several journals of his. They were medical journals. He told me that when I chose his successor, it should be someone young, someone with proven intelligence and someone that wasn't afraid to go against orders should the need arise." Temari blushed at that and looked down. It was common knowledge that she and her brothers didn't really follow orders well.

Sakura chuckled, making the blonde look up. "Don't worry. I know you follow orders as long as they don't interfere with your own moral code." Sakura then regarded Temari carefully. "That's just it. You don't let orders interfere with your moral code. That's why I have chosen you to be Crow's successor. As of this day, you are no longer 'weasel' you are now the leader of my Hunter Nins and my head strategist. You are now my Crow." Sakura took a dark looking mask from a case under her desk and handed it to Temari. The girl looked slightly frightened, but she gave Sakura a brave face.

"I understand, Sakura-sama. I will try my best to make you proud." She said in a soft voice. Sakura smiled and nodded.

"I know you will, Temari. If I didn't think you would, I would have never offered you the position." Temari smiled and handed Sakura the weasel mask and put the crow mask on while taking her scroll as well. She then looked over at Sakura. "Uhm…how will I disguise myself so that he won't know who I am?" Sakura chuckled and shook her head.

"Temari…I don't think you can hide that from _him _no matter how hard you try. The best you can do is let him think you're just on loan and not part of the AMC." Sakura noticed the gasp before the girl nodded and quickly left. She shook her head and chuckled, knowing that this would be interesting for the young Suna kunoichi.

* * *

Temari allowed the black robed figure of her assistant to lead her to her knew office. News had spread quickly through the AMC that Crow had been killed and that his replacement was meeting with Sakura-sama. The figure had appeared before her not even five paces outside Sakura's office and had told her to follow him. She shook her head as she followed, knowing that this could turn really good or really bad depending on how she reacted.

When she was at the office, she found it rather soothing. She walked in and looked at the figure behind her. "You have been here a while, from the looks of it." She noticed the figure stiffen and she waved it off. "It's not a bad thing. Means you have experience in what you're supposed to do. It's hard enough having a new department head, it would be hell if I had to train my assistant." She noticed the figure shaking slightly and knew he was laughing at her. She shrugged and looked around.

"Crow must have been a very interesting man. I can feel the wisdom he held just by being here." She said, more to herself than anyone, and then looked at her assistant. "Ah…shall we get started then?" she sat at the desk and went through the reports. She noticed there were several strategies for the mission to Taki on her desk and she frowned. "I take it Crow was devising a safe way for Tanuki-sama to get in and out, ne?" she looked up at the assistant, who nodded.

She read over the plans very carefully and whistled. "For an old man, he was very intelligent. Not a senile bone in that body. I'm impressed." She murmured and then frowned slightly. "However, these would not have worked given the current situation in Oto and the geographical layout of Taki. The land has changed over the years. I was just on a mission there a year ago and the layout was completely different from how it had been the other times I'd been there." She was, again, talking to herself. With a nod, she looked up at her assistant.

"Please bring my 'partner' for this mission to me. I would like to discuss the details of the mission and possible strategies with him. Make him think I'm sending someone other than myself with him. Also, I want you to gather squads 1,4, and 7. I believe at least one of those has something we need before going on this mission. I can't remember the exact name, but I'd recognize him if I saw him again." The figure nodded and left while she reviewed things.

* * *

Lying on the top of the Hokage Tower, a certain lazy ANBU member was staring at the clouds. He was completely at ease, even after the black robed figure appeared and towered over him. "Crow-sama has requested your presence at the AMC headquarters." Rolling his eyes, the lazy ANBU wondered what the old man wanted now.

Rising to his feet, he nodded and followed the young Hunter Nin back to the AMC building. He was walking along behind the silent nin when a voice caught his attention. He was sure he knew that voice. His owl mask glowed in the dim light of the Hunter Nin branch. He stopped upon seeing three four man squads standing back from someone in what appeared to be a commander's outfit.

Blonde hair caught his attention, but the braids didn't remind him of anyone. The figure was wearing a tight fitting short black skirt, black sandals with armor plates, a sleeveless black tank top, and a silver armor plated chestguard. Around the slim neck was the AMC hitate, while he could see the sash around the person's waist had a Suna symbol. He arched a brow at the figure. A sleeveless long black jacket covered the outfit and, should the need arise, there was a hood that could be lifted. He also took note of the black gloves that went just below the elbow.

He was surprised when the figure spoke. "I am Crow now. If you have a problem with taking my orders, then perhaps you need to visit Tanuki-sama." Came a harsh, feminine voice. A voice he knew, but couldn't recognize or place. He noticed that one of the Hunter Nin stepped forward, trying to intimidate the woman.

"We listen to Crow-sama's orders…not to a little girl playing dress up in her grandfather's clothes." The man said in a snide voice. The lazy ANBU noticed that his guide was gone and then looked up to see the guide between the woman in the Crow mask and the twelve men. The small male looked ready to fight, until the woman in the Crow mask put her hand on his shoulder.

"It's alright Jackal. Seems that I'm going to have to prove myself." The woman's low voice didn't bode well for the men in front of her. The smaller male stepped to the side as the woman just stood there. She lifted her head to them and he could see sparkling eyes through the holes in the mask. He could also see that there was something leaking out and over the mask. A slight breeze stirred suddenly, and from nowhere, making several of the men shift nervously.

"If you can land a hit on me, I will resign right now." The woman said boldly as she faced her subordinates. She then held up a hand. "However, if you accept this challenge, and you fail, I will punish you all…severely. Take that into mind before accepting this challenge. You must decide as a group what will be done, because you will be punished as a group." The lazy ANBU noticed that as she talked, her hands started glowing yellow and the purple leaking from her mask became more noticeable. He noticed the men stiffen and regard her.

Eleven of the men backed off, leaving the one man standing there…the one that had insulted her. The eleven dropped to their knees, showing their allegiance. The single man regarded them with disdain. "You would cower so before a woman? Have you no pride as men!" the man demanded. He heard the woman before him chuckle and when he looked back, he gasped. She was right in front of him.

"I cannot conceive a man like you being in this organization. Our founder is a woman, our leader, is a woman, and most of the department heads are women. You, who disdain taking orders from women…how could _you_ possibly last in a place like this?" her voice was a little too sweet, a little too gentle. Everyone watched as the woman stepped closer to him. The man suddenly cried out in pain as she grabbed him. The yellow glow slowly started taking over his body, engulfing him like a bright yellow flame. She lifted her mask slightly as she drew her hands away from the man, who was still held immobile.

All they could see were cruelly smirking deep purple lips. The purple substance seemed to be originating from there, as well as her nose, like she was smoking something. When she opened her mouth, the purple substance rolled out like water. "Ah…there we go…do you know why Sakura-sama put me in charge of this division?" she asked in a seductive tone. When everyone present just stared, that purple mouth smiled.

"Because this is the one place where I can use these techniques without worrying about killing my target too quickly. Torture is an art…something that you must be able to restrain…if necessary. My techniques kill quickly…painfully…" she murmured as she brought her mouth closer to the Hunter Nin in front of her. He screamed out in agony. Suddenly, the yellow glow disappeared, the purple smoke was gone, and the stoic form of Crow stood there, her arms crossed over her chest. She stared down at the cowering form of the man who'd challenged her.

"Who's cowering now? Do not ever question my authority again, or I will use the real thing on you, not a genjutsu simulating my power." She then turned on her heel and faced away from them. "I want the leader of the team sent out to recover the flesh eating bugs and the bug user assigned to the case. I believe that this is linked to the incident in Oto and the invading nin that attacked close to the village." She said and then walked away. Everyone just stared after her. The lazy nin watched her carefully. This new Crow was kind of cruel, but it was a familiar cruelty, something he'd seen before. And that technique she'd used…she'd said it was a genjutsu, but it had encompassed them all without them even realizing it…just what did that say about that woman?

* * *

Temari was sitting at her desk when Jackal came in with three men. One had an owl mask. She arched a brow behind her own Crow mask as she regarded him. There was something familiar about him…she shook her head and regarded the men walking in behind Jackal and the owl. It was a man with a bug mask (the rumored Mantis?) and a man with a monkey mask (reminded her of a lemur). She folded her hands together after motioning them to sit. When they were comfortable, she got right down to business.

"The bugs you were sent to investigate; they fed from brain matter, correct?" she noticed the two stiffen and then the bug masked man nodded. She took out a sheet and held it up. It was a sketch of a bug. "This is the insect, correct?" she asked again, handing the sketch to Mantis. The man nodded again. "I was afraid of this. There is something you don't know about that bug. Not only does it feed off brain matter, but it also eats away muscle. Meaning anything the victims do from muscle memory, the carrier can mimic." She noticed the shocked gasps and then the murmuring.

"I know this…because this insect originates in Suna." She noticed them all still and stare at her. She sighed. "As a Suna native, I am highly familiar with this insect. I am also highly disturbed knowing that not only are they still on the surface, but they are outside of Suna now." She reached into her pouch and pulled out a small journal. It had been her father's.

"This insect is called the 'nagori' by Suna natives. It eats its fill of human flesh and then moves on. Only problem is, they're kind of like ants and have large colonies. So anything it decides to eat doesn't live long. Past Kazekages have tried to utilize their unique abilities for war, but there was never a clan that could control them…until now." She stared at the men in front of her. She started sketching and then turned it for them to see.

"This is a nagori mound. They're unmistakable. The slightest vibration in the sand near a nagori mound will trigger the mound's bursting and they run rampant over the sand, consuming anything with flesh in their path, human and animal alike." The bug user Mantis leaned forward, eager to learn more about his insect. Temari sighed and sat back, her pencil in her hand.

"However, there was a drought about forty years ago. The land cracked, exposing their colonies to the sun. So, they tunneled further into the earth. It's said that when it rained, the earth beneath the sand became so tightly compacted that nothing could have survived. The last colony to be seen was when the current Kazekage, Gaara-sama, was out in the desert as a child…a very young child. Because of the Ichibi, the insects avoided him. However, like all things living, he destroyed them and used his sand to destroy their entire colony. There hasn't been a nagori seen since then." She noticed them looking at her and she nodded.

"That means someone found a colony and is protecting them…feeding them." This struck the three men as she stood up and pointed at the map where it was reported the base camp was. "This isn't a torture camp, it's a butchershop. They're using that place as a midway between the other countries and the location of the nagori mound." The men nodded and she looked at Jackal. "Fetch Sakura-sama or Tanuki-sama…either will be sufficient. We need to tell her what's going on." She watched her assistant disappear and then regarded the men around her.

"Which of you is the ANBU assigned the escort mission?" she asked as she leaned back in her chair. The man in the owl mask stepped forward.

"That would be me, Crow-san." She regarded him as he stood before her, his head held high. So…that guy in the owl mask was Nara Shikamaru…the crybaby from their chuunin days. She made hand symbols under the table and suddenly there was a knock on the door. She bid the knocker enter and a clone of herself, as Shikamaru would remember her (meaning her four pony tails and the outfit he was accustomed to seeing her in) came in with a nervous smile.

"Crow-sama, I'm sorry to say this is merely my clone. I got held up on my way here, though I should be here soon." Temari nodded at her clone and then looked at Shikamaru.

"I have requested Temari's assistance in this matter so as to minimize suspicion. A bodyguard for a nobleman from the AMC would definitely raise suspicion." She watched as the owl mask never left her clone. When it was done, she dismissed the clone and Shikamaru. When he was gone, the others in the room looked at her.

"Weren't you supposed to travel with him, Crow-sama?" She shrugged and leaned back in her chair.

"Temari's perfectly capable of doing this. I must let Sakura-sama know about the things we have discovered." She then disappeared. She made another clone, which looked exactly like her as Crow, and sent it to Sakura's office to fill her in on what was going on.

* * *

Shikamaru was leaning up against the wall of the entrance into the AMC headquarters when he felt something poke the side of his face. His cigarette dropped into the dust as he turned his head and found Temari standing there, her dark grey-green eyes regarding him. He'd already changed into his disguise so his aristocratic robes and the hat made him look a little…odd.

But what had surprised him was the outfit Temari was wearing. She had on a formal black kimono which was slightly off the shoulders, with other layers beneath it. There was a strange swirling pattern on it in yellow and purple. She had on an obi that made a large, long tailed bow at her back and he could vaguely make out her fan sticking out of it. She also had white tabi socks and geta on. All in all, he was stunned at how beautiful she was.

He noticed her smirk at him and turn in a circle so he could completely see. "I was rather surprised when Crow-sama and Sakura-sama gave me these to change into. They said that the bodyguard of a nobleman had to look the part. So…how do I look?" She knew from the way he'd reacted when he'd first seen her that he was surprised. And she knew from the reactions of the other men inside the base she was attractive. But she wanted his opinion of her.

"You look…" Shikamaru didn't want to sound corny, so he decided to play it off. "You look like a woman fit to be in the company of a nobleman." He smirked at her offended look before she calmed herself and gave him a sly smile.

"My, my…lies do not become you, Nara." She held her hand up so that her sleeve was covering the majority of her face. He didn't miss the deep purple lipstick she seemed to be wearing though. He could just imagine what that lipstick would look like against pale skin. He gulped and shrugged.

"Any functioning man would think you gorgeous. It's the deadliest tactic a woman can use…making her own body a weapon." He noticed her eyes narrow on him before her face went calm and serene.

"You'd best be glad I can't say no to this mission, because I'd go right back to Suna if I could. You're such an insufferable crybaby…even after all these years." She shook her head and turned away from him before he could speak. "Let's go. The sooner we head out, the better. Crow-sama told me I'd be your only guard because of some rogue group capturing ninja. She wouldn't tell me more, but rumors have been going around Suna that the nagori have surfaced." His eyes narrowed on Temari's back. Rumors? In Suna? But they'd just figured out what the bug was today…

"What kind of rumors, Temari-san?" he watched as she turned to him, her eyes sad.

"Many of my people have lost loved ones to the nagori at some point, Nara. I am no different. It is only natural that when news of a bug fitting the nagori's description reaches our ears, we become worried. It's why I agreed to this mission when I was contacted about it." Shikamaru watched her turn away from him and wondered who it was she loved that she'd lost to the nagori. He shoved that aside in his mind and decided to get this mission started.

"Crow-sama has explained everything to you, correct?" She nodded, still not looking at him. He could feel something inside him wishing she'd turn and look at him, or at least acknowledge him in some way. He tried to stifle it, but it was still there. He felt something in him stir when he noticed her steal a glance at him from the corner of his eye. Feeling better, he sighed and held up his hand. "Let's get going then." She nodded and they both headed out, walking at a sedate pace.

* * *

Temari had never been so bored in her life. Usually her brother kept her on her toes, but right now, they were walking…not running as ninja do, just walking. She looked over beside her at Shikamaru in his courtly outfit and couldn't help but think that it fit him. She blushed and looked away from him. They were nearly at the checkpoint anyway, so she'd only have to keep this charade up for a little while longer.

She was just enjoying the way the sun warmed her shoulders when instinct practically kicked her in the teeth. She whirled around, her fan deflecting several kunai from Shikamaru's back. She narrowed her eyes and twirled, sending a gust of wind with chakra blades embedded in it into the trees on their right. She heard a grunt and backed up until her back touched Shikamaru's.

"When I open the second star, make a run for the checkpoint." She whispered. He looked at her over his shoulder and she noticed the refusal in his eyes. She narrowed her eyes on him and hissed at him. "I will not allow you to endanger this mission. Do as I tell you." She noticed his eyes widen slightly and he reluctantly nodded.

The hair on the back of her neck bristled and she suddenly opened her fan fully, blocking a retaliatory attack from whoever was in the woods. She looked back at Shikamaru, her eyes wide. "GO! Go now!" he nodded and took off towards the checkpoint.

Temari grimaced as the attack was followed by another, more powerful blast. She hissed and jumped, letting the blast eat away the earth as she hovered above the destruction on her fan. Her eyes widened in shock when she felt a presence behind her and she turned. There was a slender man standing in the tree behind her, his eyes roving her figure.

"Such a lovely woman you are. Too bad you're protecting a diplomat that must die." She hissed and twisted, bringing her fan out from under her. She didn't want to blow her cover yet. She gasped when she felt arms wrap around her from behind. She looked over her shoulder and found the slender man behind her, smirking. "Let's have some fun before I'm forced to kill such a prize." Her eyes widened as she realized just what he was talking about as his hand slipped between the folds of her kimono.

She was torn between wanting to save herself and keeping to the mission. She tried to think of what Sakura would do in this situation. The image of Shikamaru's worried face shimmered in her vision and she gasped. She reached behind her, clamped her hand onto the side of the man's face and hissed. "Get your hands _off_ me!" she roared at him. She heard him scream in pain as her jutsu took effect, burning the skin on his face.

She closed her fan and used it like a baseball bat, striking the man in the gut and sending him flying. She was breathing heavily and her heart was thundering. She landed in the top of the tree and started running, not looking back.

* * *

Shikamaru was pacing. Not just pacing, he was chain smoking and pacing. He'd been told that, while on the road, he wasn't allowed to smoke. However, when they made the checkpoint, he'd be allowed to relax. So, here he was, doing his 'relaxing' while pacing and chain smoking, worried sick about Temari. He'd felt the dangerous aura of the man that had attacked them and he wondered if Temari was strong enough to handle him.

He had just snuffed out his fifth cigarette and was about to start on a sixth when he felt the chaotic chakra that was Temari. He looked up as she tumbled into the checkpoint villa. She ran straight past him to the bathroom and he could hear the sounds of her throwing up. His eyes widened and he ran to the bathroom. He looked at her and noticed her shaking. He knelt behind her and rubbed her back, talking to her in a low, soothing voice.

When she finally stopped vomiting, he reached out and grabbed a washcloth and ran cold water over it. He took her chin into his hand and pulled it up so that she was looking at him. He gasped as he noticed tears running down her face. "Temari? What's wrong?" He heard her sob before she threw herself into his arms.

He held her, putting the cold washcloth on the back of her neck to try and calm her. She was shaking badly, even with his arms around her and she just kept crying. He didn't know what to do for her except hold her. He was glad he'd changed from his fake courtier clothes into his lounging clothes as he pulled her into his lap and held her, telling her everything was going to be alright.

He held her until her sobs tapered off and she was sleeping with her head against his shoulder. He looked down and noticed how beaten up she looked. Her kimono was torn, her obi was loosened, and her tabi were stained. He pulled the kimono up tightly around her and just held her, wondering what had happened. As he tried not to think too much about it, he slowly started falling asleep.

* * *

Temari felt warm and protected, as if she were encased in her mother's arms. She leaned into the embrace and sighed happily. She could hear a heartbeat beneath her ear, slow and steady and comforting. She slowly opened her eyes and all she could see was something that was black and white. She blinked several times and when her vision finally cleared, she noticed that she was leaning against someone.

She sat up slightly and noticed that it wasn't just someone…it was Shikamaru. He was leaning back against the bathroom wall of the checkpoint, asleep. She looked down at herself and noticed that her kimono was wrapped tightly around her and there was a damp washcloth on his knee. She looked around and cringed at the sight of the toilet. She could remember retching until her head was splitting. And then he'd come in and soothed her, holding her while she shook from fear and disgust.

She sighed and snuggled up against him, nuzzling his chest. She heard him groan in his sleep and she blushed when he pulled her closer and grumbled her name. She looked at him and her eyes softened, a smile stretching her lips slowly. She sighed again and pressed closer, feeling safety and warmth radiating from his sleeping figure. Closing her eyes, she allowed herself to fall into the sense of peace and let her consciousness float away on clouds of assurance.

* * *

Shikamaru was certain he was dreaming. Never in a million years would Temari be lying under him, her eyes wide and innocent, and telling him he was so smart, so brave, and so strong. He groaned, wishing that this was real, but he knew that he'd never really want her any way but what she was. It was her sarcastic, defiant nature that had drawn him initially. That and her ability to equal him in intelligence and wit. They'd played shogi for six and a half hours before they'd finally agreed to a stalemate; neither had been able to outwit the other.

He sighed and felt his body slowly waking up. He also felt her slight weight in his lap and remembered how she'd been crying, shaking and vomiting. What had happened to make her react that way? He'd never seen her that shaken, not even when Gaara had been abducted. It had something to do with the man from before, he was sure of it.

Opening his eyes, he looked down at her. She was cuddled up against him and seemed happy enough now. But would she be alright once she woke up? He reached down and stroked some of her hair from her face. He'd noticed that her ponytails had fallen slightly and it seemed as if part of the very back one had been singed by something.

He froze when he felt her stir. She mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like his name, but he didn't want to get his hopes up. He sat there and held her while she slept. They were supposed to head out tomorrow morning. They wanted to give the illusion that walking so much tired a courtier such as himself out and he had to take a day's rest. He shifted as his foot went to sleep. It was getting downright uncomfortable sitting in the bathroom floor.

Carefully, he stood up with her in his arms and made his way to the single bedroom of the small villa they'd been provided. Instead of going to the bed, he went to the chair. He sunk down into the soft cushions of the chair and cradled her in his arms. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back, wondering what the clouds looked like right about now.

He was imagining a cloud in the shape of a fan when he felt Temari stir against him. He opened his eyes and looked at her. She looked up, blinked a few times and smiled gently up at him. He just stared at her as she looked around. She seemed confused. "I must still be dreaming. Last time I woke up, I was in a bathroom." She murmured and sighed, snuggling against him.

He was about to say something when she smiled and nuzzled him. His breath froze in his lungs. "This is a nice dream." She whispered and then ran her hand up and down his chest. He groaned and caught her hand, looking down at her.

"Temari, this isn't a dream. What happened to you yesterday? Why did you run in here in such a mess?" he noticed her eyes slowly clear until she gasped and blushed at their close proximity.

"W-what?" He shook his head and pulled her kimono tighter around her body as she started to shiver slightly again. He noticed fear and disgust glaze her eyes and she curled her legs up towards her. "I…I…" Tears welled up in her eyes and she looked at him, her eyes pleading. He looked her in the eyes and put his hands on either side of her head, his thumbs on her cheeks.

"Temari, I can't help you if I don't know what's going on." He told her gently. She nodded and put her hands on his wrists.

"A-after you left, a slender man attacked. He…said things." He noticed her blush and look away and he didn't like where this was going. He noticed her shaking more and he steeled himself. He looked at her, willing his courage into her. "H-he said he wanted to have fun before he killed me…" He noticed her clutch the front hem of her kimono together tightly and he put two and two together and got red. He stared at her hands and felt hatred bolt through him. The man had done something to Temari.

"He…he slid his hand up my leg to my thigh. I was so scared…" she choked and buried her face in her hands. He held her while she cried, telling her he'd take care of her, and that he'd protect her.

He was seeing red. He wanted to kill this man that had hurt her in such a way…that had scared her. Her voice shook as she spoke again. "I was so scared…I didn't know what to do…I didn't want him to touch me, but I couldn't jeopardize the mission. I asked myself what Sakura would do, but then…then…" she looked up at him and he noticed those beautiful slate eyes held awe.

"But then I saw your face. It flashed before my eyes and it made me realize I didn't want it to be him touching me that way …" Shikamaru's eyes widened and he looked down at her. What was she saying to him? He stared at her for a moment before his arms tightened around her and he leaned towards her, his heart beating faster.

"Temari, what are you saying all of a sudden? You're not making any sense." He noticed her eyes flicker before she pushed herself against his chest and looked up at him. He felt her legs tense seconds before he felt her lips on his, her hands tunneling into his hair and causing his ponytail to fall out.

He gasped and stared at her as she kissed him, almost desperately. Her desperation reminded him of the man that had tried to rape her and he growled low in his throat as he wrapped his arms more tightly around her and kissed back. He wanted more of her, so he held her against him tightly and stood, taking the few steps from the chair to the bed, and laid her down gently without even breaking their kiss.

He was stretched out on top of her, kissing her thoroughly, when there was a knock on the door. He stiffened and looked over his shoulder. He told Temari to go into the bathroom and wait for him. She nodded, eyes glazed, and went into the bathroom. Shikamaru went to the door and stood there. "Who is it?" he asked in a suspicious voice. He heard rustling.

"Sir, there's a messenger for you at the front desk. He says it's urgent." Shikamaru thought about it before shrugging.

"Tell him to write down his message and have it brought to me. I'm resting and don't wish to be disturbed." He figured it was an appropriate answer for the station he was supposed to have in this little sham.

"Yes, sir." Shikamaru narrowed his eyes and went back into the room. He packed his things and then went into the bathroom and gathered Temari and all her belongings. He picked her up and went out through the window. He slid along the outer wall until he came upon a rather large room with no occupant. He slipped into the window and looked around. He nodded as he determined it was safe and then sat Temari on the bed, taking their things from her and sitting them aside while he leaned in and kissed her again.

She moaned into the kiss and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pulling him closer to her. They stayed like that for a while, just kissing and lightly touching. However, that all changed when Temari pushed up from the bed and looked him in the eyes before dazedly asking him something.

"Shikamaru…" he looked down at her with an arched brow.

"What's wrong, Temari?" he noticed how her eyes were dilated and wondered if something was wrong with her.

"Shikamaru…a-are you still a virgin?" His dark eyes widened as he stared at her.

"W-what? What kind of question is that?" he noticed her blush and look to the side, embarrassed.

"I…I just…" he sighed and leaned down, kissing her again. Her arms went around his shoulders, kneading gently.

"You should know by now, Temari, that most girls are just troublesome. Why would I want to get myself into that with someone I don't like?" He noticed her eyes flicker before wavering.

"You said most girls…does that mean that doesn't include me?" She asked and looked up at him with those eyes. He smirked and leaned in so that he was right by her ear.

"Temari, if I had my way, I'd have taken you against a tree on the way here." He husked. She blushed more, but smiled.

"Is that so? And what would you have done had I not been willing?" She noticed him arch a brow and she suddenly gasped when she felt his hand on her leg, touching bare skin.

"Oh, you're more than willing…and would have been had I pinned you to a tree and had my way with you." He said in a low voice. He noticed her shiver and look up at him, desire burning in her eyes. He groaned and smashed his lips to hers, pushing her back on the bed.

He let his hands wander as his tongue explored her mouth, licking every corner. He took note of her reaction to each and every place his hands went: the gasp when he ran his hands up her side; the jolt when he covered her breasts; the whine when he cupped her sex; the purr when he caressed her bottom…he filed all those away in his mind for later use.

When he pulled away from her, he was breathing heavily. He could only stare down at her. Unbidden images of the dream he'd had came to him and he groaned under his breath. She was just as beautiful now, in the real world, as she'd been in his dreams. He leaned down and ran his tongue up her neck until he reached her chin. He then nuzzled her and rocked his hips, letting her know the effect she was having on him.

She moaned and slid her hands up under his shirt, enjoying the feel of his hot skin. She grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head before stopping and just staring at him. She'd seen him in just mesh at the Chuunin exam, when he'd used his coat as a parachute to make shadow with to catch her, but this was different…he wasn't wearing anything at all.

She took in his chiseled chest, tight abs, narrow hips…she bit her lip as she looked at him before looking up into his eyes. She reached up and ran her hands through his hair, trailing it down until she was caressing his cheeks. She was kissing him again, almost impatiently now. He shifted so that all his weight was on her and he was pressing her into the mattress. He let up just enough so that his hand could reach between them to touch her.

He slowly started shifting her kimono aside, baring parts of her to his wandering hands. He reached to the side and pulled the obi just enough so that he could untie it. When it was untied, he pushed up and looked down at her for a second before throwing the cloth away from her concealed form. She stared up at him, a blush on her face, as he stared down at her almost completely nude form. Her breast bindings were tight and only covered the necessities and the small white bottoms (he wasn't sure if they were bandages or panties) were soaked through.

He leaned down and placed a kiss right at the center of her chest, right between her collar bones. He slowly searched for the ends to her binding, running his hands all over her in search for the well hidden ends. He finally found them, neatly tucked, just back from her left armpit. He slowly unwound the bindings and gaped when they loosened and fell off completely. Temari was blushing and looking away. Her large breasts, no longer constricted by the bindings, stood out against her chest, the nipples peaked from arousal and a slight chill.

Shikamaru groaned and leaned down, burying his face in her breasts. He gave them equal amounts of lip service, making sure to not neglect the rest of her body while he was playing with her breasts. She'd grown over the last few years since he'd seen her. He could feel his body throbbing and he became uncharacteristically impatient. He sat up and his hands went to her hips, pulling her white bottoms off and throwing them over his shoulder. He then reached for the snap of his pants.

He was pushing his pants down when he noticed her staring at him. He arched a brow and looked down, blushing as he noticed the head of his erection was peeking out of them. He pushed his pants down around his knees and used his feet to pull them off the rest of the way before taking a gulp and slowly pushing his boxers off.

He noticed her gasp as she stared at him. When she looked up and their eyes met, he noticed arousal, awe, and a little fear. He slowly lay back down on top of her and kissed her again, giving her time to get use to the feel of his naked body on top of hers. She seemed to be enjoying it as she wrapped her arms around him. He sighed and kissed her shoulder, soaking up the feeling of her naked body pressed against his.

He kissed her again, a slow, gentle kiss and caressed her face, her neck and her shoulders. When he pulled back, he looked down at her. There was a bright blush on his face, as well as hers, as they looked at one another. Breathlessly, he spoke to her. "Temari…are you sure this is what you want?" he noticed her eyes flare and she moaned, pressing her body against his.

"Y-yes…I…I've wanted you for a long time…" she murmured. He nodded and leaned back down, taking her lips in a passionate kiss. He pulled the sheets up around their body, trying to reduce the embarrassment they both felt. He settled more of his weight on her and then reached between them. He noticed her eyes widen as he pushed against her gently. She moaned and wrapped her arms around him.

Shikamaru closed his eyes and gave a quick, solid push. He heard her gasp and when he opened his eyes, she was biting her lip. He looked down at her, deep into her eyes, and found pain clouding her eyes, but she was fighting it admirably. He kissed her under each eye, murmuring sweet things against her lips.

She sighed and gently ran her nails up his back, urging him to move. She gasped when he shifted and then pulled her tightly against him, moaning in her ear. She blushed and bit the knuckle of one finger, trying to stay silent as he pulled her leg up around his hip, holding her against him. His movements were slow and precise, deep and loving. He held her as he made love to her, whispering in a low, deep voice how he felt, the thoughts that he'd had over the years…the things he'd wanted.

He watched her face as he pushed into her over and over in that mind blowing rhythm he'd set for them. He made a mental note of how each movement, depth, and speed affected her pleasure and locked them away so that he would never forget…so he could always please her. And he had every intention of keeping her. He would not be losing her again like he had right after her brother had been revived. She'd retreated to Suna and he hadn't seen her in years. He wouldn't let her run this time.

With that in mind, he decided to claim her wholly…to make her his. With a primitive growl, he pressed her down tightly and began pounding into her. He heard her slight shriek as he became rough with her suddenly, but he just kept pushing his hips against her, connecting them on a very base level. He watched her eyes widen more, as if she hadn't quite been ready, but from the breathless noises she was making he knew she was enjoying it.

His mind felt like a whirlpool. His intellectual side was chiding him about acting like such a savage, but his heart was singing at this primal claiming. It was like a ritual that he couldn't understand but couldn't bring himself to stop. He felt an urge and, with his mind fogged by his emotions, he gave in to the urge and leaned down, biting deeply into the flesh that covered her collar bone. She screamed and dug her hands in his hair. He growled, something he normally didn't do, and kept pushing into her.

He could only feel his body and hers, the merging, the emotions, the love…and then he heard her scream. It wasn't like the last scream. This one was breathy and passionate. He pulled up just enough to look into her face and noticed her blushing, her eyes were wide open, but slightly glazed and he could only see the bottom half of her iris and pupils. It felt like her body was having a seizure as it gripped him erratically and he couldn't hold out against it, no matter how hard he fought.

He grabbed both her hands into his and kissed her passionately as his body finally succumbed to the pull of hers. They laid there, a shivering heap, as their bodies found completion with each other. When the shivering finally stopped, they were both exhausted and nearly asleep. They curled up with one another and held each other closely, sharing small kisses and touches before finally drifting off to sleep.

* * *

Shikamaru opened one eye as light poured in the window. He could still feel Temari pressed against his side and it was the best feeling in the world to him. However, one thing bothered him. It was going to be very hard to act unaffected by her presence while they were traveling together in the public eye. He arched a brow as he remembered the way Ino had described a young nobleman she'd escorted to Kiri. He'd been nasty to her the whole way and she'd later found out it was because he'd been a walking boner around her.

His attraction to her and the pain of his arousal had infuriated the middle aged man. He figured if someone asked, he could act that way as well. It seemed prevalent in noble men escorted by pretty kunoichi. He blushed slightly at the thought. He'd just admitted to thinking Temari was pretty. He shook his head in self mockery. She was far more than pretty in his eyes. Beautiful, alluring, sexy, and downright sensual. He sighed as he realized just how badly he'd fallen for the Suna kunoichi.

He felt her stir and looked down at her as her eyes fluttered open. He noticed her eyes go to him and then her face stained red with embarrassment. With a gentle giggle, she pulled the sheet over her head and he felt her kissing his chest. As much as he'd love to go another round with her, she was virgin and she'd be too sore to move if he did. "Temari, we have to get going. We still have a mission to accomplish…" he husked at her, horrified at the unfamiliar voice coming from his mouth. He heard her giggle and then pop out of the sheets.

"Alright. But once this is over, I get to have some fun with you." He blinked before smirking at her. She smiled back and then got up out of bed, finding her clothes and getting dressed. She was in a similar kimono as yesterday, but she had shorts and a mesh shirt with a large black band over her chest. He arched a brow when she pulled on armor under her kimono.

Her smile dropped and she looked at him seriously. "That guy from yesterday was trying to kill you. He'd have succeeded if I hadn't sent you away. I need to be more prepared this time." He nodded and put light armor on under his nobleman's clothing. He put his hat back on and pulled the cloth curtains closer to his face so that only a thin strip of his face was seen.

Smirking, Temari went over to him and picked him up. He scowled at her teasing look and grumbled. "This will never happen again, nor will it ever be recounted." She laughed and jumped out the window. When she touched down, she put him down and they headed down the road to their destination.

* * *

Both shinobi were shocked as they stood at the border Konoha shared with Taki. The once beautiful forestlands of the Waterfall Country now resembled Suna, only darker. The sky had an overcast look to it, but there was no moisture in the air to hint at rain. Temari shivered as she looked around and saw skeletons…human and animal. She knew what that meant.

She slowly stripped her kimono off and put it in her pack before pulling on her black kimono and sash. "This is the nagori's doing. The offspring feed on plant matter, while the juvenile and adults eat flesh. Step lightly and try to keep up." Shikamaru was still horrified by the sight. He pulled his nobleman's robes off and stuffed them in his pack, putting his ANBU clothes on.

"This is not what I imagined I'd be seeing…" he said in a quiet voice. Temari nodded in agreement.

"It doesn't take long for the nagori to destroy everything. From the looks of things, the colony is large, possibly mutated." A rustling had both shinobi on alert. Suddenly, a child burst from the sparse foliage, tears streaming down his face as he ran. Temari acted and grabbed the child, jumping up on her fan. She could see nagori stop and wait for vibrations. Suddenly, they turned and started heading towards Shikamaru. He jumped up, grabbed a withered tree branch and launched himself up to Temari's fan.

She grabbed his hand and helped him up and they watched the nagori search for their prey. A sudden whine was heard, further off. "Awwww…he got away! Now they're hungry and I don't have anything to feed them with. My poor friends!" the voice sounded young and innocent, but the words were far from the latter. Temari narrowed her eyes and made motions to Shikamaru, who nodded.

They landed in the scraggly trees nearby and both whispered something before suddenly becoming invisible to the eye. The little boy clutched at Temari, his face buried in her stomach. He was silent, eerily so. Temari just watched as a large man and a little girl walked out, three thinner men following behind.

"Bazuri, we can't let that kid escape. He knows too much…he's seen too much." The little girl didn't seem to be paying attention; she was lying on her stomach before the nagori, her face scrunched.

"Hydoushi, they're hungry. I can feel their pain. It's clawing at them constantly." She looked up at the man with big, sad eyes. Suddenly, those eyes brightened and she pointed at the thin men behind her. "They can eat those guys! Sister won't miss them!" Temari's eyes widened in shock as the nagori suddenly rushed the thin men and devoured them, leaving nothing but bones in a matter of seconds. The screams hadn't even died down before the insects were swarming around the little girl again.

"Hydoushi, we need to find more food for them. They're starving!" the little girl had tears in her eyes as she picked up one of the nagori and cuddled it tenderly. Temari was shocked at the sight. The nagori weren't attempting to eat the girl or the man. Why? What powers did they posses that protected them?

Temari noticed the girl lift her head for a second and look around. Suddenly, a smile split the little girl's face. "Sister is back!" She then took off back through the strange foliage, the large man following behind. Temari's eyes narrowed and she shook her head. This child was their enemy? A little girl no older than the children she'd been teaching before being reassigned to the AMC?

"What kind of monster is that kid?" Shikamaru asked in a shocked voice. Temari looked over at her lover and noticed the disgust on his face. He looked like he was going to be sick.

"She seems to share some kind of emotional connection to the nagori. She's much more valuable to us alive than dead, Shika. We must find out what allows her to control the nagori." Temari said in a quiet voice. Shikamaru looked over at her and nodded, his face closing up. She knew he was trying to hide his horror at what he'd seen. Anyone who'd seen the nagori at work reacted that way.

Temari looked back where the kid had gone and put her hand to her mouth. "That's a much larger hunting party than normal. They usually go out in smaller parties, so the girl is obviously altering their behavior somehow. They're also smaller than I remember them. They've probably adapted to this environment, which means they've been here a while. But the question is…how?" She looked down at the boy child in her arms. She could feel something wet against her stomach and lifted his head. She gasped when she noticed blood leaking between his lips.

"Hey, you okay kid?" Tears fell from his eyes as he opened his mouth and blood poured out. Temari stifled a scream and Shikamaru did throw up this time. The kid's tongue was gone.

* * *

Temari was pacing outside the hospital. She and Shikamaru had run full bore the whole way back to Konoha with the kid in tow. She was hoping they'd arrived in time to save the kid's life. Shikamaru was sitting with his hands between his legs and his head down as they waited. Temari felt anger well up inside her and she kicked a chair, shattering it. Shikamaru looked up at her with blank eyes.

"He's just a kid! What the hell is wrong with those people?" She growled and clenched her fist. Shikamaru stood and walked over to her and hugged her. Tears came to her eyes and she gripped him tightly. "Who would do that to a child? Why? How?" She wept in his arms and he held her tightly, so tight that she knew he was scared.

A heavy sigh had both looking up to see Sakura, who was in white scrubs that had splashes of blood on them. "He'll live, thanks to you two." She said in a tired voice. Temari choked on a wail and buried her face against Shikamaru's chest. Shikamaru looked Sakura in the eyes.

"What happened to him?" Sakura sighed and ran a hand through her hair.

"From what I can see, the kid was caught and had his tongue cut out to ensure his silence. They probably didn't count on him being found after they sent those nagori after him. I have Ino working on him right now, trying to find out what he knows that they don't want us to see." She had no sooner shared that then screaming was heard and Ino came running out, her hands over her eyes.

"NO! I can't finish it! I can't see the things he had to see!" She screamed and fell to her knees, sobbing. Everyone stared at her as Kiba came in, his arms still in casts. He sank to his knees by her and wrapped casted arms around her awkwardly.

"What's wrong with her?" Sakura sighed and knelt in front of Ino and put her hand to the blonde's forehead. She suddenly went limp and Sakura scrubbed the back of her head.

"Apparently, what that kid saw was much more traumatic than I accounted for. I'll have to do this myself." She said in a quiet voice and then walked back into the hospital room.

Temari and Shikamaru watched as nurses came and removed Ino, Kiba by her side the whole time. Temari remembered rumors of how badly Kiba had been injured, but seeing him with his arms still in casts after all this time made rumor into reality.

* * *

Temari couldn't believe she was back in Taki. This time, she wasn't here as Temari, but as Crow. She, Shikamaru and three others were here as a recon team. Sakura had sent them a message saying that since mind jutsu's weren't her specialty, she'd be working for a while to safely delve into the boy's mind. They'd been sent out to capture the girl, Bazuri, and the man, Hydoushi. Sakura had requested them to be captured alive, but all five of them knew they only needed one alive…preferably the little girl.

Sighing, Temari lifted her hand and they all disappeared. They were traveling through Taki, careful of the nests of nagori all around. There were hundreds of nests, hiding probably thousands of nagori. As they traveled, none of them could help but notice there was no life at all in Taki any longer. No wild animals, no thriving plants, and most disturbingly…no people.

Temari decided they should investigate the hidden village first. So, they headed to the secret entrance. They carefully entered the shinobi village and were shocked at the sight. The village was packed with injured and sick people. Civilians, shinobi, and nobles alike were packed in the streets, looking haggard and pitiful.

Temari stationed two of her team at the entrance, both bug users. If anyone using bugs neared, those two would know. Temari looked around as she made her way through the streets to where the kage used to live. She stopped when she felt a blade at her back. "What are you doing here?" The voice was quavering and Temari knew that they were scared of her. She carefully turned and looked over her shoulder.

"I am the AMC's head Hunter Nin, Crow-sama. Sakura-sama has sent us here to find survivors of the nagori infestation." The man at her back trembled and suddenly fell to his knees.

"We weren't prepared…thousands of our people…eaten alive by those…those things!" Temari knelt in front of him and held up her hands, healing him with her limited abilities.

"We've come to help you. The other villages are aware of what is going on. They've been informed by Sakura-sama and the AMC is being sent out to find survivors in Taki. Are those in the village the only ones left?" The man gulped and nodded.

"The ones that managed to get here are the only people left in all of Taki. The daimyo and his family were the first to be attacked, as well as several of the lesser nobles. There was nothing they, or we, could do. Our Kage fought valiantly, but he was overcome by the insects as well. Hundreds of our best ninja were taken down by a little girl." There were tears in the man's eyes and Temari felt her heart ache for him.

"We must evacuate the city. It won't be long before the nagori find you here. The water has kept you safe for a while, but it's drying up quickly. When there's no water left, there will be no protection for you here." The man looked panicked, but Temari put her hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry. We've prepared for this." He nodded and Temari looked over her shoulder at Shikamaru. "Bring in the teams. Take groups of ten out at first. Smaller groups draw less attention. Have the Shadow Corps take larger groups for transport to the village directly. Women, children and elderly go that way. The stronger will go with the teams. Have the medics treat the sick and ready them for direct transport to the hospital." Shikamaru nodded and turned around, heading towards the entrance.

* * *

Temari was standing with her team of five. They'd evacuated all the people from the village in record time. There'd only been one incident in which a man had fallen into a nest and there had been no saving him because he'd been bones by the time they'd realized it. But that had been enough to alert the enemy of what was going on and now they were headed to the village. The water had dried up early this morning as they'd finished evacuating the people, so it was only a matter of time before the nagori found this place.

Standing in her AMC uniform, her scarf blowing in the wind, she waited. She looked at the three men behind her, and then at Shikamaru, who was at her side. "There's no need for you three to remain here. Go and back up the teams." The three men were about to protest when she looked at them and growled. "GO! Go now!" She noticed Shikamaru stiffen and realized her mistake a little too late. Sighing, she waited for the men to disappear before taking her mask off.

"I guess I screwed up, huh, Shika?" She sighed and sat on the bench close by. Shikamaru stood in front of her, shocked.

"Why? Why didn't you tell me?" Temari looked up at him, irritated.

"What is the first rule of ANBU, Shikamaru? Secrecy. The AMC is even stricter about secrecy than even the ANBU. Had I told you who I was, I'd have been breaking my oath." She noticed him stiffen and she sighed.

"I know you suspected that it was me. I saw the way you were looking at me that first day when I cast the genjutsu on those idiots from the tracking teams. You had a feeling you knew who I was, but you let physical appearance sway you. You didn't think I was good enough…did you?" He gaped at her. She was mostly right, but it wasn't that he didn't think her good enough.

"Temari, I know you're good enough for something like this. You're smarter than hell and you rival me. I'm a senior ANBU leader, so I sure as hell don't think you're not good enough. But I never really thought you'd be in a division like this. I'd have pegged you in the tracking division, not the Hunter division." Laughing slightly, she shook her head. He noticed the deep purple color of her lips.

"My techniques determined where I was placed. It was my natural abilities that determined the types of techniques I used. They are lethal and fast acting, which is why I wasn't suited for the interrogation unit. Hunter Unit was the best place for my unique abilities." She heard a rustle and she stood, her eyes narrowed. "You'll be witnessing them first hand in a few minutes."

They both watched as the dirt pushed up and suddenly burst, hundreds of bugs crawling around, looking for flesh to consume. Temari put her mask back on and held her hand in front of her face. With a quiet whisper, smoke started pouring from the mouth of her mask and her hands glowed yellow once more. He watched as the bugs quickly made their way over to the two humans, but they suddenly stopped moving as the smoke flowed over them.

He watched as the bugs began decaying from the inside out, several popping with little screeches. A scream had him looking up into the terrified eyes of the little girl he'd seen the day they'd saved the boy. She was looking at her bugs like they were being murdered. "Hydoushi, they're killing them! They're killing my friends!" The girl wailed. The large man watched the smoke spill over the insects and they died, painfully.

The man slowly walked up to the smoke and regarded it before putting his hand in it and hissing. He pulled his hand back, but the necrotic black flesh was already spreading from his hand and up his arm. He hissed and looked at the girl, who had tears in her eyes. There was pain in the man's face as he roared and rushed towards Temari. He reached her just as his hand exploded from the pressure of the necrotic poison Temari used. He went down right in front of Temari, who reached out and put one yellow hand on his forehead. His eyes rolled up in the back of his head and he fell over.

The little girl screamed and backed away. The nagori that were still alive crowded around her, as if protecting her. This intrigued them and Temari finally spoke. "You have been a very bad girl, little miss Bazuri. We have been sent to punish you." The little girl's eyes widened and tears fell from her eyes.

"S-sister will punish you for hurting Hydoushi! She will punish you if you hurt me!" The little girl kept backing away from the figure walking towards her, bringing the evil smoke that killed her precious friends. "Don't hurt them! They can't help it! They're in pain! Leave them alone!" the little girl screamed and opened her arms, revealing small holes all over her body. The smaller nagori retreated into the holes, leaving the larger ones to defend their mistress. Temari's eyes widened at the sight…this little girl _housed_ the nagori in her own body.

The girl turned and was about to run when she was suddenly encased in a hard plastic container. Her small nagori rushed out and tried to eat through the box, but couldn't. A being in a snarling tanuki mask stood there, regarding her. "You are of great interest to Sakura-sama, little girl." The child in the box started sobbing and cringed away from the being in the mask. Tanuki looked over at Temari and nodded.

"I will take the captives back to Konoha. Sakura-sama wants the remaining nagori eradicated." The little girl screamed and cried, begging for their mercy for her flesh rending friends. Shikamaru brought the unconscious man over to Tanuki, who nodded and then took him. Tanuki took the container and strapped it tightly into the leather carrying straps on his back. Picking up the unconscious man, Tanuki nodded.

"Remember…eradicate the nagori completely. If even one colony lives, this could start all over again." Temari nodded waited for Tanuki to leave before turning to Shikamaru.

"Come here." He walked over to her and she grabbed his head and kissed him. Her mask was pushed up just enough so that her lips could touch his. He choked as he felt smoke being pushed into his mouth and when she released him, he coughed and wiped his mouth.

"What the hell?" She smirked at him and then touched him with her hands. He felt his body slowly recovering and he glared at her. She just shook her head.

"Be thankful. I just made you immune to all my attacks." She then turned and walked over to the remaining live bugs, spreading her smoke through their numbers and killing them. Her hands were no longer glowing yellow.

* * *

Temari sighed as they watched another colony die. They'd swept all of Taki for the nagori colonies and wherever they found one, Temari released her deadly smoke. Temari's brows knitted together under her mask. It was strange, but, none of these colonies seemed to have their queens. She looked over and squinted. Something was coming towards them from far off. She gasped and grabbed Shikamaru and ran back towards Takigakure.

When she stopped, she turned and put up her hands. "Necrotic Cloud" she hissed and then blew smoke out from her mask, covering the entire village in a blanket of her purple smoke. She looked over at Shikamaru, who was batting at the foul smelling smoke. She grabbed him and kissed him, speaking as she did.

"The man that attacked us on our way down is coming. We're going to show him he doesn't mess with us." Shikamaru stopped moving and kissed her back, whispering back to her.

"I'll kill him." He growled and felt her lips twist against his in a smirk.

"Jealous?" He put his hands on her hips and jerked her towards him. She could see the dangerous glow in his eyes.

"He scared you. He put his hands on you when you didn't want him to. I'm not jealous…I'm furious." He hissed and deepened the kiss, making her whimper. There was clapping suddenly.

"Impressive attack you have here, little miss. But it won't hurt me." He smirked and took out his sword. With a single swing, the smoke was dispersed. Shikamaru's eyes narrowed. He recognized that kind of attack. The woman that had tortured Kiba used similar attacks. Deciding to find out just what this man's relationship with the woman was, he put Temari behind him.

"I recognize that technique. They were used by a woman captured by my unit. I think her name was Alialla?" They both noticed the sneer that came over the man's face.

"Alialla was weak getting caught by the likes of you. I hope she suffered before you killed her." Shikamaru arch a brow at the man's behavior. Bad blood?

"Not a nice thing to say about someone you look identical to." Shikamaru's eyes widened and he looked over his shoulder at Temari. Her voice had been so cold he almost hadn't recognized it. The man's face turned red.

"I do _not_ look like that whore!" The man suddenly rushed Temari. Shikamaru tried to intervene, but he didn't quite make it in time. The man collided with Temari and they went rolling. Suddenly, the man was thrown from her and she stood, her clothing ruffled.

"Groping the enemy is rather pathetic, don't you think?" The man smirked and shook his head.

"I wasn't just groping, my dear." He suddenly held up his hand and Temari screamed, going to her knees. Shikamaru ran to her and checked her over. He noticed something and shifted her clothing aside. He gasped when he noticed a large bug attached to her side. It had some kind of needle sticking into her. Shikamaru looked up at the man and growled.

"What did you do to her?" He demanded and looked back down at her when she screamed in agony.

"Unlike Alialla, I have many talents. You didn't think Bazuri got her ability to control insects from Alialla, did you?" Shikamaru's eyes widened in shock.

"You're that little girl's father? And Alialla was her mother?" The man chuckled and Shikamaru shook his head. "But I thought you hated Alialla." The man stopped laughing and glared.

"Alialla and I were lovers once. After Bazuri was born, she started sleeping around. I found out and put her in her place." There was a sick smile on his face. He then looked at Temari. "After I punished her, she turned to other women for comfort…and for sex. She hasn't had a male lover since." There was some kind of sick satisfaction in the man's eyes.

Shikamaru heard Temari grunt and stared as the woman got to her feet. She gritted her teeth and glared at the man. "I hope you don't have the same attachment to your bugs that your daughter has for her nagori." She noticed Shikamaru about to say something and she put her hands in front of her face. "River Necrosis." She hissed. She gasped and fell to her knees, panting. Suddenly, the man bellowed and watched as his insect fell to the ground and shriveled to nothing.

"What did you do to her?" The man demanded. Temari laughed and shook her head.

"So that's why we didn't find any of the queens while we were taking out the colonies. You house the queens while your child houses the mutated nagori." She panted and stood, regarding the man while gripping her bleeding side.

"Your nagori queens will only die if you attach them to either of us. Our blood is nothing but rivers of poison right now." The man glared and drew his sword. He was about to attack when he gasped. He couldn't move. He looked down and noticed that there were shadow hands on his legs, torso and arms. He looked over and noticed Shikamaru in a strange stance.

"Your utter disregard for women in general is sickening. But you signed your own death warrant when you put your hands on _my _woman." The man gasped as the shadow hands crept up from his arms and torso to his neck. He struggled, but there was nothing he could do. Temari watched dispassionately as the shadow hands wrapped around the man's neck. There was a strangled scream before it was deathly quiet.

Temari watched Shikamaru drop the man and then go over to him. "I'm guessing Sakura-sama will want this one alive as well, considering he's the controller of the nagori queens." Temari smiled hugely and shook her head.

"Smart as ever, Shika." Shikamaru grumbled and picked the man up.

"Just because I realize this doesn't mean I have to like it at all." He growled and Temari just laughed.

* * *

Temari was standing in Sakura's office while the pink haired woman looked through her report. It was her first complete mission as Crow and it seemed she'd done a spectacular job. Sakura nodded and smiled. "Great job, Crow. I knew you were best suited for this job." Temari thanked her quietly and then cleared her throat.

"Sakura-sama, I have a favor to ask." Sakura chuckled and nodded.

"I know. I've already put in for Shikamaru to be transferred to your unit." Temari gasped and then smiled at her.

"Thank you, Sakura-sama." Sakura nodded and dismissed the blonde. She watched as Temari left. She walked over to her window and watched as Temari ran out in her street clothes and jumped into Shikamaru's arms, kissing him. Sakura smiled before it dropped and she frowned. She was happy for her two friends, but the child they'd found was in a catatonic state now. He was so traumatized by what he had seen and what had been done to him that he couldn't function.

Sakura sighed and went back to her chair. She sat down and reread the second to last paragraph of Temari's report. _'Suspect was tall slender male with silver hair and black eyes. He admitted to being the lover of Alialla at one time. He also admitted that Bazuri, the young nagori controller, was his and Alialla's child. He controls the nagori queens, as he attached one to my side before I poisoned it. He was apprehended by Shikamaru using the Shadow Neck-binding technique. We returned to AMC headquarters post haste with our package and turned him over to Mouse.'_

Sighing, Sakura rubbed her face. This thing just kept getting more and more complicated. She sighed and shook her head before reaching for her cloak. She needed a nice hot bath and she knew just where to go to get it.


End file.
